Month: October 2015

The Raiders don’t really want to be here. And the NFL doesn’t want them here. That’s the only real conclusion.

Well, I guess it is possible both are too inept to make what they really want happen. But I’m inclined to believe the billion-dollar juggernaut that is the NFL is not dumb when it comes to business. And I don’t believe Mark Davis was born yesterday either, though he can lather on the mom-and-pop shtick.

But the charade from Tuesday night at the Paramount Theater revealed just how calculated the NFL and the Raiders have been. The NFL continued its act as powerless middle man, restrained by circumstances and precedence. And Raiders owner Mark Davis continued his affront as an Oakland diehard being gentrified out of his beloved city. He showed up to get points for showing up, for being the small business owner being held back by ineffective local governance.

I ain’t buying it. I need to see some indication outside of lip service that the Raiders staying in Oakland is a priority.

Joe Lacob emerged from the restroom of his Atherton home with his “specially selected” yellow tie perfectly knotted, popping against his crispy white shirt. His fiance, Nicole Curran, was still getting ready for the fashion gala that would double as a Warriors game, so Lacob had plenty time to get back on his phone.

He was not as bubbly as you’d think, considering he was on his way to hang a banner at Oracle Arena and fulfill the very prophecy he was criticized for making. He was but a few hours from handing the coveted championship rings to his team, these gold and diamond crusted rewards, but he wasn’t quite sparkling.

Lacob wasn’t fully in the mood for a victory lap, to memorialize the dream season that will become legend. This day, he was pining for the normalcy of nonstop work. Craving the distraction of updates from the many moves the Warriors have in motion.

“You have no idea what’s been going on,” Lacob said. “It’s been … It’s just been … crazy.”

Lacob’s father, Sid, 81, fell and hit his head about a month ago. He’s been fighting for his life since.

He’s had three surgeries, two on his brain. The third was a hail mary of sorts that Lacob had to insist on as the doctors thought it was too dangerous. It saved his life.

While Lacob prepares to celebrate delivering Warriors fans their first championship in 40 years, his father is in ICU at Stanford Hospital hanging on. Nestled deep into the soft spots of his heart, bold and boisterous owner and CEO of the world champion Warriors was just a son scared he’d get that call about his father.

“It’s my dad, you know,” Lacob said, looking up for a second from his phone resting on the countertop. “The older you get, the harder it is for you to recover. It doesn’t look good. He’s just fighting.”Continue Reading →

Two-time NBA Champion Kenny Smith wishes he were going to be at Oracle for the Warriors’ season-opener. The NBA on TNT analyst will be broadcasting from San Francisco.

If he were going to Oracle, he would definitely take a trip to the players’ parking area.

“All I would have to do is go into the garage of the arena,” Smith said, “and I saw a bunch of 2016 cars, then I know complacency is setting in.”

Smith calls it Fat Cat-itis. It’s a condition every NBA Championship team is at risk of contracting. He thinks it will be one of the Warriors’ biggest foes. And he’s right.

No question, San Antonio is a tough hurdle. Oklahoma City is championship worthy of healthy. Cleveland, Houston and the Los Angeles Clippers all have an axe to grunge with the Warriors.

But the greatest challenge will be how they handle the success. Can they recreate the same hunger? Can they ramp up the discipline despite having profiles that have blown up? Did they properly prepare for what’s about to come?

That’s why Smith would want to see the cars. It’s a glimpse into the mindset of the players.

DANVILLE — Back in his freshman year at Monte Vista high school, Bob Myers was a regular in the 5th quarter. And it was embarrassing.

“That’s the lowest point of your self-confidence,” Myers said with a laugh. “You’re not the coolest guy when you’re in the 5th quarter because people know … You take some hits. You take some psychological trauma. It’s taken a lot of therapy to work out of it. But I think okay now.”

No, the 5th quarter wasn’t a sports bar. It was an extra quarter after high school football games reserved for the scrubs on the team. It didn’t count. But both teams would agree to let their end of the bench get some playing time with one more quarter. That was Myers’ only chance to play.

Friday, Myers, 40, was back on the very field where he experienced his lowest point in sports. But this time, he’s smiling and laughing. His popularity has increased significantly in the 26 years since. He has he reached his highest point.

The Warriors general manager was honored during the homecoming celebration of his alma mater. And the former Mustang made it to this point because of an intensity undetectable from his appearance.

He comes across as smooth and mild-mannered. It’s the immaculate suits, manicured hair and yearbook smile. But there is a monster inside.

The architect of the NBA champions is a relentless, uber-competitive personality. He’s got a maniacal work ethic type driven by a foam-at-the-mouth passion.

He was even smiling again, a couple times breaking into laughter during Wednesday’s pre-practice interview.

And on the field, he’s producing again, registering his most effective game as a Raider in the loss at Chicago.

Altogether, it’s enough to conclude — with all the reluctance one can muster — that Smith is in a good place. No doubt, that is hope talking. That is how things appear when you’ve got a piece of utopia stuck in your eye. But it fits with the theme of the Raiders season so far. Things seem better. Smith seems better.

“It’s good,” Smith, 26, said. “Happy I’m out here. Good group of guys, a lot of cool, funny personalities. So it’s all good for me.”

So far. The Raiders’ plan for saving the controversial former 49er, who has been arrested five time since entering the NFL in 2011, looks to be working.